FR2846308A1 - FLUID PRODUCT DISPENSING DEVICE WITH DOSE INDICATOR - Google Patents

Abstract

Fluid product dispensing device comprising a body (1) incorporating a dispensing orifice (5), a reservoir (10) containing the fluid product, and a dispensing member (15), such as a pump or a metering valve for selectively distribute the product contained in the reservoir (10), characterized in that the device comprises a dose indicator comprising electronic display means (20), said display means (21) comprising a permanent display (21) not requiring no energy to keep the display unchanged and requiring only a very low energy to modify said display.

Description

The present invention relates to a product distribution device

fluid

  and more particularly such a device incorporating a dose indicator.

  The dose indicators, and more particularly the dose counters, are

  well known for use with fluid dispensing devices. By fluid product is meant gaseous, liquid, pasty, or powdery products.

  These counters are generally intended to display the number of doses dispensed or the number of doses remaining to be dispensed, and various types of counters have been produced. A first family of counters is formed by mechanical devices generally comprising counting wheels which are actuated in rotation when the device is actuated. These meters have drawbacks in that they are generally quite bulky and require a significant structural modification of the device to allow adaptation of the meter. Furthermore, these counters being dimensionally limited, the number of doses that can be counted is necessarily limited, and when a large number of doses is placed in the reservoir, for example two hundred, the display generally becomes very small and therefore few readable, especially for the elderly. Another type of meter is formed by electronic meters. These counters include an electronic display which is modified each time the device is actuated. These electronic meters require a power supply and are generally also relatively bulky. Depending on the type of energy source used, the risk exists that after a relatively long storage time, the energy sources are exhausted, so that the meter can no longer function. This

  can especially happen with batteries or accumulators.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a device for dispensing a fluid product which does not have the abovementioned drawbacks.

  More particularly, the present invention aims to provide a fluid dispenser device comprising a space-saving dose indicator and adaptable to any type of fluid dispenser device existing without

  modify its structure or external dimensions.

  The present invention also aims to provide such a device allowing

  to count any number of doses legibly.

  The present invention also aims to provide such a simple and inexpensive device to manufacture and assemble, and operating reliably, while

  requiring only minimal energy for its operation.

  The present invention therefore relates to a device for dispensing a fluid product comprising, a body incorporating a dispensing orifice, a reservoir containing the fluid product, and a dispensing member, such as a pump or a metering valve for selectively dispensing the product contained in the reservoir, the device comprising a dose indicator comprising electronic display means, said display means comprising a permanent display, such as a nematic, bistable display, requiring no energy to maintain the display unchanged and requiring only a very low energy to

modify said display.

  Advantageously, the display is of the liquid crystal (LCD) type.

  Advantageously, the display comprises bistable nematic crystals.

  According to a first alternative embodiment, the energy required to modify the display is supplied by a battery or accumulator According to a second advantageous alternative embodiment, the energy required

  to change the display is created when the device is actuated.

  Advantageously, the interaction between two parts of the device moving relative to one another when the device is actuated is transformed by an electromechanical converter into an electrical pulse used to modify the display. Advantageously, said interaction is a friction or a percussion

  from one part of the device to another part of the device during actuation.

  Advantageously, the reservoir is movable during actuation relative to the body of the device, said body comprising a contactor cooperating with said reservoir, the interaction between said reservoir and said contactor creating the pulse.

  needed to change the display.

  As a variant, a striker is moved against a contactor during actuation of the device, said contactor being fixed relative to said body, and

  said striker cooperating with a spring.

  Advantageously, said dose indicator has a thin structure, so that it is adaptable to a fluid dispensing device without modifying its

external dimensions.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, made with reference to

  attached drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples and in which FIG. 1 is a very schematic side view, showing a device for dispensing a fluid product according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a very schematic front view in section of the device of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a schematic side view in cross section of a

  variant embodiment of the invention.

  The embodiment shown in the figures is an inhaler, generally designated by the term MDI (Metered Dose Inhaler). This inhaler 15 comprises a reservoir 10 containing a fluid product and a propellant gas, a valve

  metering device 15 being assembled on the reservoir 10 to distribute doses of product through a mouthpiece 5 formed in a body 1 which receives the reservoir 10.

  The actuation of this device is generally carried out by axially moving the reservoir 10 inside the body 1, which actuates the valve to dispense a dose 20 of product. It is specified here that the present invention is not limited to this type of device, but that it is on the contrary adaptable to any device for dispensing a fluid product, and in particular devices comprising pumps rather than

  valves operating with a propellant gas.

  According to the invention, the device comprises a dose indicator. This indicator 25 is preferably used to count the number of doses which has been dispensed, or which remains to be dispensed from the reservoir 10. This indicator comprises electronic display means 20, preferably of large size as shown in the figure 1. This allows anyone, even the elderly with a poor vision, to read the figure displayed by the display means 21, 30 even when the number of doses is very high and the counter is intended to

  count several hundred doses.

  According to the invention, the display means 20 comprise a permanent display 21. This permanent display 21 is preferably of the liquid crystal (LCD) type, for example, a display with bistable nematic crystals. This type of display does not require any energy to keep the display unchanged, so that between two actuations, no energy source is necessary for the figure displayed by the display means to remain visible for the display. user. It is only when the display has to be modified, that is to say when the device is actuated, that very low energy is required to modify said display. This very low energy can be supplied by a battery or an accumulator. Preferably, however, it can be created when

  actuation of the device as will be described below.

  In the preferred embodiment, in which the indicator operates without a battery or accumulator, the energy required to modify the display can be created by the interaction between two parts of the device which move one relative to 15 l other during actuation. This interaction, which can for example be a

  friction or a percussion of a part on another, is then transformed into one or more electric impulse sufficient to allow the modification of the display. Advantageously, interaction can be created between the reservoir 10 and a part of the body 1, these two parts moving relative to one another during actuation.

  FIG. 2 shows a particular embodiment, in which a contactor 2 is integral with the reservoir 10, said contactor striking the display 21 when the reservoir 10 is returned to its rest position after dispensing the dose. Of course, the contactor could be integral with the body 1 and cooperate with the reservoir, or more generally a friction between the reservoir and any fixed part integral with the body could be sufficient to create the electrical impulse necessary to modify the display of the display. This electrical pulse, typically with a duration of 1 to 50 ms and of the order of 10 000 to 50 000 Volts, is then processed by

  an appropriate electronic circuit 25 in order to control the display 21.

  FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment, in which an electrical pulse generator of the lighter stone type is used. This system includes a striker 11 cooperating with a spring 12 and biased, upon actuation, FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment, in which an electric pulse generator of the lighter stone type is used. This system comprises a striker 11 cooperating with a spring 12 and urged, upon actuation, against a contactor 2. This contactor 2, advantageously comprising a ceramic 5 secured to an anvil 13, is preferably fixed relative to the body 1 Supply wires 26 transmit the pulse to the electronic circuit 25, which

  transforms to control the display 21 in order to modify the display.

  More generally, provision can be made to convert the force or the mechanical displacement when the device is actuated into an electrical signal. A piezoelectric actuator, an electromagnetic coil or any other electromechanical conversion device known to those skilled in the art can be used. More particularly, a system of the lighter stone type or a piezoelectric ceramic, such as that used in gas lighters, can be used. Other variants are thus possible. For example, a thermoelectric generator 15 could be used, in particular for exploiting the expansion of the propellant gas in the case

a metering valve.

  The dose indicator which is preferably produced in the form of a dose counter, can be adapted to count the number of doses remaining to be dispensed

  or the number of doses already dispensed from the reservoir 10.

  Advantageously, as notably represented in FIG. 3, the indicator

  has a thin structure comprising the display 21 and the electronic circuit 25, so that it is adaptable to any dispensing device without modifying its external dimensions. In the example of FIGS. 2 and 3, the display is simply integrated inside the body 1, at a window to allow the user to read the indications written on said display.

  Although described with reference to particular embodiments, the invention is obviously not limited to the examples shown, and a person skilled in the art can make any useful modification without departing from the scope of the present

  invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

claims   1.- Fluid product dispensing device comprising a body (1) incorporating a dispensing orifice (5), a reservoir (10) containing the fluid, and a dispensing member (15), such as a pump or a metering valve 5 for selectively dispensing the product contained in the reservoir (10),   characterized in that the device comprises a dose indicator comprising electronic display means (20), said display means (20) comprising a permanent display (21) requiring no energy to keep the display unchanged and requiring no only a very low energy to modify said display.   2.- Device according to claim 1, wherein the display (21) is liquid crystal type (LCD).   3.- Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display (21)   contains bistable nematic crystals.   4.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   in which the energy required to modify the display is provided by a battery or accumulator.   5.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in   which the energy required to modify the display is created upon actuation of the device.   6.- Device according to claim 5, wherein the interaction between   two parts (10, 11; 1, 2) of the device moving relative to each other when the device is actuated is transformed by an electromechanical converter into an electrical pulse used to modify the display.   7.- Device according to claim 6, wherein said interaction is a friction or percussion of a part (10, 11) of the device on a   other part (1, 2) of the device during actuation.   8.- Device according to claim 7, in which the reservoir (10) is displaceable during actuation relative to the body (1) of the device, said body (1) comprising a contactor (2) cooperating with said reservoir ( 10), the interaction between said reservoir (10) and said contactor (2) creating the impulse   needed to change the display.   9.- Device according to claim 7, in which a striker (11) is moved against a contactor (2) when the device is actuated, said contactor (2) being fixed relative to said body (1), and said striker (11) cooperating with a spring (12).   10.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   wherein said dose indicator indicates the number of doses of product   dispensed or remaining to be dispensed from the tank.   11.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims,   wherein said dose indicator has a thin structure, so that it is adaptable to a fluid dispensing device without modifying its external dimensions. * * *